An injury-hit Australia have welcomed back Pat Cummins for their third ODI against South Africa, as they look to avoid a series whitewash. Live updates below!
The visitors are 2-0 down in the three-match series, with alarm bells well and truly ringing just 12 months out from an African ODI World Cup.
Australia have made three changes for the final match of the series, with Cummins returning for his first ODI since 2024 alongside Mitchell Starc, who was rested in the second ODI.
However, despite being Australia’s official ODI captain, Mitchell Marsh will again take the reins in Potchefstroom.
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Youngster Ollie Peake is also back after being overlooked for the first two matches despite strong form on the preceding tour of Zimbabwe.
Josh Hazlewood has been rested ahead of Test duties, with Nathan Ellis (side strain) and Jack Edwards (hamstring) sidelined.
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South Africa have made five changes, with captain Temba Bavuma joining Hazlewood on the sidelines ahead of next week’s first Test in Durban.
Star all-rounder Marco Jansen has also been rested, as has in-form spinner Keshav Maharaj.
Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Corbin Bosch, Gerald Coetzee and Nqobani Mokoena have been named, with Duan Jansen and in-form batter David Miller among the outs.
The Proteas won the first two matches by 67 and 32 runs respectively, with Australia twice throwing away strong starts through a misfiring middle order.
Making matters worse, the Aussie squad has been ravaged by injury.
Josh Inglis broke a finger in the first ODI and is in doubt for the Test series, while Joel Davies (hamstring) and Ellis (side strain) were also ruled out of Game 3.
Cummins will feature in his first ODI since 2024 – and just his third since the 2023 World Cup win – with his presence an immediate boost to an Australian bowling attack which has struggled thus far in the series.
However, the forecast isn’t kind to the tourists’ hopes of salvaging something from the series, with the South African highveld battered by rain in the lead-up and temperatures reaching as low as six degrees Celsius.
Match details
Venue: Senwes Park, Potchefstroom
First ball: 9:30pm (AEST)
Australia XI: Mitchell Marsh (c), Travis Head, Cooper Connolly, Ollie Peake, Alex Carey (wk), Matt Renshaw, Cameron Green, Pat Cummins, Xavier Bartlett, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa.
South Africa XI: Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Tony de Zorzi, Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Corbin Bosch, Bjorn Fortuin, Gerald Coetzee, Lizaad Williams, Nqobani Mokoena.